It happened again-- at a different hive in the same apiary-- and now I'm really puzzled.
The activity that I've seen-- twice now, in different colonies-- is new to me.
? It's not as rhythmic and organized as orientation flights.
? It's not as frantic as robbing.
? It's not as sustained as a hive getting ready to swarm.
It looks KINDA like robbing, or maybe more like the early stages of a swarm. There are bees zooming around the hive, not going anywhere, but not fighting either. The bees certainly seem excited, but they're not at all aggressive. Then it gradually calms down.
This is something that I haven't seen in 10 years of keeping bees. Does it sound normal to others?